Love awaits
by marlenrf
Summary: It's their sixth year at Hogwarts and finally Ron's got a plan. A R&Hr fic and some H&G. Written after GoF, it's short and sweet.


Pen name: Marlenrf  
  
Email: marlen_granger2@hotmail.com or marlen_farjat2@yahoo.com  
  
Title of story: Love awaits.  
  
Rating of story: PG  
  
Status of story (how far along it is): Finished, for now!  
  
Spoilers: All four books.  
  
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Having said that: I don't think you hold any interest in suing me, because sadly I've got no money. So please, don't do it!  
  
Feedback: YES, go ahead!!! I don't usually write, so please try not to be too severe : )  
  
Author's Note: DEDICATED TO ALL R&H AND H&G SHIPPERS.  
  
  
  
  
  
1 Love Awaits  
  
1.1 I  
  
As Harry sat down in the Gryffindor common room, Ron got up the sofa in which he sat down a few seconds before.  
  
"Where are you going?" asked a surprised Harry. "You just got here!"  
  
"Oh, well…", mumbled Ron and sat down again, "I'm late for something, you know 'the thing' we talked about".  
  
"What 'thing'", said Harry distracted, but just then he remembered, and smiled at Ron.  
  
"Glad to see you remembering, Harry", said Ron in a rather upset way. And he got up, grabbed his pointed hat and went out as quickly as he could. Harry remained in the sofa, and felt somewhat worried. What if their plan didn't work out after all, not that they hadn't been careful, but, what if? Unexpected reactions can always take place, especially in such delicate matters. The very thought made him uneasy.  
  
It was Boxing Day of their sixth year, and many things had happened in Hogwarts by then, and some of them were too sad to even be remembered. Some of his friends had died, and he had to face sadness once again. However, he felt thankful that he could still count on Ron and Hermione as his best friends. Danger had been coming nearer to the three of them each year, so he felt relieved that, at least for now, they were safe.  
  
Harry got up, and concentrated in not looking worried the remaining part of the day. He went out the castle and headed toward the lake. It was a nice day, a very cold one, indeed, but enjoyable anyhow. He had to avoid Ron and Hermione for the next couple of hours just hoping that she wouldn't notice. Everything had to work out just right for their plan.  
  
Things at Hogwarts had been calm for the past few months. That had given Harry and Ron a little time to think about their girls, or more properly, the girls they wanted to be with. Ron had always felt something more for Hermione than just friendship, but he couldn't admit it to anyone. Although Harry had found out, eventually. Ron hadn't said anything to Hermione yet, because things got in the way. For one, Hermione seemed to hold no interest in him as a boyfriend, and second, he didn't want to ruin their friendship. It would be too odd to be with her and to hang out with Harry at the same time. So he had given up long ago, hoping that his feelings for her vanished, but they only grew stronger.  
  
As for Harry, he had had a crush on Cho Chang, but after the death of her boyfriend Cedric Diggory, he had walked away. He had been too involved in Cedric's death. He saw it happened. In a very mature act, he had thought that things with Cho wouldn't work out well, because she would remember Cedric by looking at Harry's face.  
  
Harry was walking by one side of the lake completely absorbed by his thoughts. One hour passed by. He didn't notice. He was thinking, that if he had stopped thinking in Cho a long time ago, why he hadn't met anyone special once more? Girls didn't seem to be interested in him that way, well just Ginny, but she was far less obvious now. Was he to dangerous to be around? Was the danger worth it? He felt cheerless, and watch his clock. Just forty minutes more and he would see Ron and Hermione again.  
  
1.1.1 II  
  
Harry headed back to the castle (it was getting colder) and didn't go to the common room, because Ron and Hermione would be there. Instead he stayed in the Great Hall, where he drank some butterbeer.  
  
"Hi, Harry", said a soft voice behind him. It was Ginny.  
  
"Hi", said Harry to her. "It's lonely here during the holidays, isn't it?" asked Harry, to start a conversation. He had forgotten that he was supposed to stop Ginny from entering into the common room. Boy, he felt nervous. His face showed it.  
  
"Yes, it is…" answered Ginny, but after looking Harry's expression, she said "are you alright, Harry, do you want me to leave?"  
  
"Oh no, I'm fine, everything is fine, fine, just fine", Harry answered. He could not let Ginny out his sight. But maybe it was too late. Maybe she had find Ron or Hermione. He had to know, he couldn't be a bad friend now. So he nervously asked Ginny, "Have you seen Ron or Hermione today?"  
  
"Are you alright, Harry?", said Ginny, and she went on, "I mean, don't take this the wrong way but you really look anxious".  
  
"Ginny, I've already told you I'm fine", snapped Harry, "would you answer my question?" He said all this very quickly and immediately felt guilty. That was no way to talk to Ginny; she was his friend. He apologized. Undeniably, he felt very anxious.  
  
"All right, yes I've seen them. I went to the common room a while ago. I saw them there. It was funny though, he and Hermione were talking rather closely, I'll say. There wasn't anyone from the other students that I knew, so I said hi to Ron. And he gave me a look! He seemed very angry at me, so I just left…", said Ginny looking a bit hurt.  
  
"He got up in a really bad mood, I reckon Hermione was making him realize of it", lied Harry. Fortunately, Ginny didn't know. Now his job was to make sure Ginny didn't think of what she had seen. And he started talking to her as usually. The truth is that they had become good friends after fifth year. They talked about the classes, how things had been so calm recently. They also talked about humorous memories. It was always good to laugh. They remembered the recent jokes that Fred and George had pulled off. Although they were no longer students at Hogwarts you could tell they were present through their famous Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. Harry and Ginny allowed themselves some good laughs.  
  
1.1.2 III  
  
Meanwhile, in the common room were Ron and Hermione talking. There was no one there but them. Everybody had gone to eat to the Great Hall.  
  
"You do see what I mean, don't you Hermione?", asked Ron looking at the fire of the chimney. He had just begun talking about what he wanted to say to her, when everyone had gone. 'The thing' was that he couldn't stand it anymore. He had to tell her about his feelings. Now that she wasn't with anyone, he was free to tell her how he felt.  
  
"Ron, I know you like me. You're one of my best friends. I like you, too", answered Hermione, looking confused. She thought that Ron was up to something, but she preferred not to assume anything. She let him talk.  
  
"Hermione, please don't laugh at me…", said Ron and wished he hadn't said it. "Well, laugh if you want. Er…I…I…Oh, this is difficult, I…I love…you", said Ron going almost as red as his hair. But Hermione didn't laugh, not at all. In fact she said nothing, instead she looked really surprised. She showed a sincere smile that lightened her face.  
  
"Do you really? Love? Do you mean love?", she said looking into his eyes. Then, Ron got up the sofa, and looked back at her, right into her yes. He did this for what it seemed to be a long time, and simply said: "Yes, I'm sure".  
  
Hermione gave him a wide smile. "I was never certain. If it's true, you've hidden it well. At least last year you did", she said slowly and with her best tone of voice.  
  
"It's true," said Ron, still staring at her eyes. "How lovely they are", he thought. "It is too strong to be a crush and it has been too continuous to fade away. It is love," but this words sounded just in his head. All of a sudden he could not speak, fear of rejection had flooded him. He could only move his mouth, but nothing came out.  
  
Hermione saw what was happening and rushed to talk, not wanting to create an unpleasant silence. "Even when I was with Victor, last year?", she asked Ron.  
  
"Yes, even when you were with Krum. I think that even before that", answered Ron, finally regaining his ability to speak. It was so very true. He had had to put up with his feelings every time he saw them together. In those days he thought to himself: "She seems happy with that Krum fellow, why trouble her? She is just my friend". Many times he had looked and walked away, when Hermione and Krum were walking hand in hand. But she was free now. She and Victor Krum were history.  
  
Hermione stood up and began to walk slowly towards Ron. He remained in the same spot, waiting for her. He had no idea what was going to happen next. He just knew that he wasn't going to move, not an inch. Not this time. Finally, Hermione stood very close to Ron, and without warning, she put her arms around his neck and hugged him. She poised her head over his shoulder, and then he understood. He wanted to know for sure, was she in love with him? Was she? He hugged her too, putting his arms around her waist.  
  
In that moment they didn't mind if they were seen. In fact it seemed as if nothing else could matter at that instant. "There was no place on earth, I would rather be", Ron thought. Then, a soft whisper in his ear, "I love you too. I love you very much Ron". Hermione spoke these words calmly and with a big smile in her face. Now, she could say it. She had no doubt. A moment later they kissed.  
  
1.1.3 IV  
  
In the Great Hall were just a few students, because most of them had already finished eating. Harry was enjoying time with Ginny, almost too much, because he had forgotten to look at his watch to see the time. Ginny, on the other hand, seemed very happy to be able to talk for so long with Harry, who she had always liked. No other guy had made her change her feelings. She had tried, though, but nothing worked. She was an eternal optimistic, and she had hope.  
  
"You know, Harry, I think you have drunk enough butterbeer", said Ginny laughing, at Harry's idea of Snape drinking a polyjuice potion and becoming an ugly, nasty rabbit.  
  
"It'll have to be an hideous, bitter rabbit. With really long ears and greasy black hair, and a horrible nose", said Harry speaking rather softly, so that the Potions Master wouldn't hear him if he was around the Great Hall. Ginny, laughed, and started making faces like a rabbit. Some students were staring at them but they didn't care. Ginny had the ability of making Harry laugh like no one could. "She is, indeed, very funny and I really like to be with her. When she listens to me it feels different. Could it be…? Have I been blind…?", Harry thought to himself.  
  
In that moment, Ron and Hermione appeared walking down the stairs to join them. Harry knew by the expression on Ron's face that 'the thing' had worked out. He had convinced Ron to talk to Hermione; after all they were his best friends. Although, with all honesty, he himself had thought that Ron and Hermione together as a couple could ruin their friendship. But he had realized that it was a fear that had no reason to exist, and thinking otherwise would be self-centered. "That wouldn't ruin our friendship, but being selfish may", had said Harry to Ron, giving him the strength to talk to Hermione.  
  
Sure, they were like normal teenagers (apart from the fact that they used magic wands every single day) and at sometimes they could be selfish, but they also were very mature. The three of them had been through so much the last years, that it had made them more cautious. "It is best to live your live at every second. You don't know what tomorrow could bring", had said to him Mrs. Weasley once. Harry had heeded that advice.  
  
He gazed at Ron and Hermione walking down the stairs, and so did Ginny. "Finally, look, here they come! I wonder if Ron continues with his bad mood. Probably, Hermione didn't succeed…", said Ginny seriously.  
  
"Well, if she didn't, you and I could!", Harry said this smiling, and Ginny smiled back approving it. Ginny had enjoyed those minutes with Harry, so much that she didn't want them to end.  
  
"Hello! How have you been?", Ron asked staring at Harry and Ginny and showing a smile than Harry had never seen before. "Everything's fine, I suppose. Hermione, let me congratulate you. I think you have a soothing effect in Ron", said Ginny grinning. "Yes, she does!", continued Harry laughing.  
  
"Oh, stop talking you two", said Hermione. "Ron is in a great mood, and has an announcement to make."  
  
"Oh, do we have to tell them now? Really, Hermione you are so bossy", replied Ron, but then he thought that he had made a mistake, he could no longer argue with Hermione all the time, could he? For the sake of the moment he apologized. Both, Harry and Ginny were astonished, and for good reason: Ron had apologized for making a comment to Hermione.  
  
"It's fine. Ron, that's who you are. Don't apologize for it, I mean as long as it doesn't happen every time we talk", Hermione said to Ron with a slight smile in her lips.  
  
"What on earth is going on here? You two, tell me!", demanded Ginny.  
  
"They're together", said Harry looking at Ginny, wishing somehow that he could feel for a girl like Ron and Hermione felt for each other. A girl, perhaps like Ginny. "Is she still interested in me?", thought Harry.  
  
"Oh, my! Harry, how do you know?", asked Hermione blushing. "Did Ron tell you?", she continued. Ron was very red now, but he could not hide his smile.  
  
"Believe me, Hermione, no one needs Divination to know that it was destined to happen. Look at you two, red as tomatoes!", said Harry laughing even louder than before. "Look, Ginny, 'the couple'", continued Harry smiling.  
  
"I think it's great Ron! I really do!", said Ginny and she went on, "Congratulations, both". She stood up and hugged Ron and Hermione. "Oh, well. Harry and I just finished eating, so we will meet you in a while. Lots to talk about, I imagine. Harry, can you come with me to the library?", Ginny said this very fast and looked at Harry. It was an obvious excuse to give Ron and Hermione a little privacy in the Great Hall.  
  
"Sure, 'Quidditch Through the Ages' it's always worth reading", said Harry, following Ginny's excuse. "I'm very happy for the both you. It was about time", he continued and looked at Ron and Hermione. "I'll see you in a while", he added. "This may be a good chance to talk to Ginny", thought Harry, feeling truly happy about it.  
  
Ginny and Harry stood up and headed to the library. Ron and Hermione smiled at each other, and took a seat. It had been a very long morning, and they were hungry. Throughout the meal, they kept looking at each other and talking. They felt that they could deal with whatever was awaiting them. The apparent peace that was felt in Hogwarts could soon be broken. But they were going to be together to face it.  
  
  
  
2 The End...until now.  
  
2.1.1.1 By Marlenrf 


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